The Assessment Trials Helping Football's Forgotten Men

This year’s Assessment Trials will kick off on Thursday 3 May at Hyde Football Club.

The regional trials will also take place at Staines Town, Walsall’s Banks’s Stadium and Loughborough University between 8 – 10 May.

The events will showcase the talent of approximately 300 young Apprentice players in front of local and international scouts from all levels of the game.

Each year hundreds of young players undertaking the Apprenticeship at Clubs across the country hope to fulfil their ambitions of reaching the promised land of becoming a first-team player.

However, while an Apprenticeship is designed to give the best opportunity to build and maintain a career as a professional footballer, research has shown up to 60 per cent of Apprentices will not be offered a professional contract at the end of the two years.

To ensure their talent is not lost to the game, the Assessment Trials provide the opportunity for nearly 300 lads to demonstrate their skills to scouts and representatives from all levels of the English and international game, as well as those from higher educational institutions in the UK and abroad.

The main objective being to attempt to channel this very high level of ability into their Club or organisation.

Alan Sykes, LFE’s Chief Executive, says:

“Just to earn an Apprenticeship means you have considerable talent. Unfortunately, not everyone who comes through the programme will be offered a professional contract. Those who are released by their Clubs are in many instances very unfortunate – and that’s where Assessment Trials fit in.”

He continued: “The Trials remain central to our Progression strategy and represent a great opportunity for Apprentice footballers to show they have the skills to continue in the game.”

“Their dedication and work ethic is exemplary, and this gives other Clubs and Universities the chance to utilise this talent. Our aim is to ensure these players find other ways to put their abilities to use by introducing them to new training and career paths.”

The Assessment Trials follow on from LFE’s other core Progression initiative ‘Create Your Legacy’ – recruitment and careers exhibitions for elite athletes which were recently held in Manchester and Reading.